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THE BEGINNINGS OF RSC

Elise Jaeger, original president and music librarian writes...

"I had been active in the Recorder Society of Long Island and when we moved to Connecticut in 1988, I wanted to get to know some recorder players in this area. Getting in contact with the Danbury Music Center, I was given some names. Helen Hermes was one, and when I called her and told her that I wanted to set up an organization, she immediately offered to help. We drew a circle on the map around Danbury and proceeded to send a letter inviting all ARS members within a 30-mile radius to come to my house to play and plan. We got 20 commitments and several other very positive responses. I invited Susan Iadone to come and conduct that first meeting. It was an immediate success.

First meeting of RSC, January 21, 1989. First row, l. to r.: Elise Jaeger and Bill Bowie. Second row: Claudia Chapman. Last row: Joan Talbot, Eleanor Fischer and Marianna Kastner (with gamba).

A board was elected and we became an official chapter member of ARS. My Long Island experiences helped us get the organization on the right track. We wrote our by-laws. We had an excellent newsletter editor and a publicity person and in 2 years we doubled our membership. After two meetings at my house we found a wonderful facility at the Richter Art Center in Danbury. In September 2003, RSC moved to St. Paul's Lutheran Church and at present we meet at Walnut Hill Community Church in Bethel. Under Susan's leadership, we graduated from one class, to two levels, then to three levels of playing abilities under profesional leadership."

Susan Iadone, Elise Jaeger and Helen Hermes at the June 1997 RSC meeting.